


Then Leave Him

by seetherrayne



Series: A Snake Doesn't Shed its Skin so Easily [1]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: 2x08, F/M, Flashback, then leave him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-03
Updated: 2018-02-06
Packaged: 2019-03-13 06:02:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13564365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seetherrayne/pseuds/seetherrayne
Summary: “Then leave him.”They both hesitated, at the words and his tone. It was a little too familiar – a little too close to home. A remnant of years long gone, and decisions hard made. Decisions that had changed the course of both their lives.FP blinked, all the fight leaving his body before finishing his sentence in a softer tone. “At home.”AKA: The first time that FP asked Alice to leave Hal.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, this came from watching FP/Alice videos on YouTube and the hesitation between both of them when FP told Alice to leave Hal in 2x08. We all know that he's asked her that before. He's had to. They wouldn't have reacted that way if he hadn't. So naturally my original plan to write down a quick scene for my own explanation turned into a 5,000 word fic. 
> 
> This is my first time writing for Riverdale in general, much less for FP and Alice, but here goes nothing. Enjoy!

He knew who was walking in the door as soon as he heard the loud ding from the door opening too violently. She marched in like the storm that she had always been – the one that she had tried to hide for so long after the last time she left The Whyte Wyrm – but he knew that it would find its way out of her again someday.

Should’ve known that it be channeled into a mama bear protectiveness.

“Betty won’t listen to reason so I’m telling you, FP –“

“Alice!” he hissed, meeting her halfway as she made her way over to him.

She ignored him and continued her tirade. “If she even _thinks_ about putting on a Serpent jacket, I’ll have your head.”

“I am working.” He stayed calm, despite the urge to call her out for coming to his workplace. He shouldn’t have been surprised though. She hadn’t stepped foot in the South Side since her dream wedding to Hal. Why would she confront him at home when she could embarrass him in front of half the town?

“I won’t have our kids make the same mistakes we did,” she told him, her voice getting quieter as she stopped short in front of him.

“They weren’t all mistakes,” he reminded her, and he meant it. Some of them were lessons, and some of them… well, there were some things that he would never regret.

But he wasn’t about to get into that with her.

“If you’re that worried, come to the party,” he said, offering her a solution. “Chaperone her.”

“Are you high on fumes?” she asked, her voice getting louder again – and higher. The tone she had always used with him when she thought he was an idiot. “I can’t.”

“Yes, you can,” he insisted, even though he knew she never would. “Stop by. Say hi to some old friends.”

She scoffed, blinking and shaking her head. “Hal would never come.”

“Then leave him.”

They both hesitated, at the words and his tone. It was a little too familiar – a little too close to home. A remnant of years long gone, and decisions hard made. Decisions that had changed the course of both their lives.

FP blinked, all the fight leaving his body before finishing his sentence in a softer tone. “At home.”

He walked away, wanting the conversation to be over, not looking to the door again until the click of her heels faded off.

‘’’’’’’’’’

FP banged on the door, confused that Alice hadn’t answered the first time he knocked.

“Alice?” he asked loudly. “Everything okay?”

The door to the trailer swung open violently, revealing an affronted Alice Cooper. “Why the hell do you have to knock so loud? Are you trying to break my door?”

“You didn’t hear me when I knocked normally,” he said with a laugh. “Are you gonna let me in or not?”

“What makes you think I want that?” she asked, raising an eyebrow cockily. “And how do you know my parents aren’t home?”

“I know your parents aren’t home because the car’s not out front,” he told her. “I know you want to let me in because I got a copy of your favorite movie.”

He held up the VHS he was holding of _Heathers_ with a smirk, knowing that it would grant him entrance.

She smiled, looking down thoughtfully, and he knew he was in. He straightened up to walk inside, stopping when she spoke.

“I just don’t think tonight’s the best night, FP.”

“Why not?” he asked, confused. He leaned in, giving her a teasing smile. “You got your little boyfriend over?”

Her jaw stiffened, and he knew that he probably went too far, but he didn’t back down. They always went too far with each other, and it had never changed anything between them. He hadn’t seen her in a week, and as much as she infuriated him, God he _missed_ her. Transferring to Riverdale High was the worst thing that had happened to him, even if they had done it together with the rest of their neighbors. It was bigger, more students, more funding. More opportunities to be whatever you wanted to be. And Alice had been taking full advantage of pretending to not be a girl born on the wrong side of the tracks.

Well, it was the worst thing to happen until she went and got herself a preppy boy to play house with.

“That’s a low blow,” she said, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “You know Hal wouldn’t be caught dead in the Southside.”

“I know,” he said. “He said so himself. Straight to my face, in fact. He _does_ know that his girlfriend lives on the Southside, right?”

“Funny,” she said, but she didn’t laugh.

“Come on,” he pleaded, his voice softening. “I miss you, Alice. Let’s just watch a movie. Have a little fun.”

She looked at him, glancing at the movie and back at his face. “Fine. But _just_ the movie. I’m not in the mood for the kind of fun you’re thinking of.”

“Whatever the lady wants,” he said, giving her a half-bow.

She finally let him in, grabbing the movie from his hands and looking at it.

“Where did you get this, anyway?” she asked him, sliding it out of the case.

“From the Blockbuster in Greendale,” he admitted. “I have to get it back tomorrow by five or I’ll get charged with late fees.”

“You sure were confident that I was gonna let you in.”

“Well you’ve never denied me before,” he reminded her with a grin.

She rolled her eyes but walked to the TV to set up the VCR. “The only reason I let you in was because I love this movie.”

“I know,” he said, leaning against the wall separating the kitchen and the living room. “That’s why I rented it.”

“Thank you,” she told him, pressing the power button. “I guess it’s kind of sweet.”

“Does Preppy Boy rent you movies?”

She didn’t look at him as she responded. “ _Hal_ usually takes me to the theater on the North Side.”

“I’ve taken you to the drive-in,” he defended.

“Yes, but you work there,” she said matter-of-factly. “So you get me in for free.”

“More money for popcorn,” he countered.

“Whoever had this last didn’t rewind it, the bastards,” she said.

Straightening up, FP started heading away from her. “Then rewind it. I need to take a piss anyway.”

“How classy,” she called out to him. He almost made it to the door before he heard her gasp. “FP, don’t!”

He rolled his eyes as he grabbed the door handle, hearing the commotion of her getting up. “I already told you I don’t care if your underwear’s in here. I’ve seen it before.”

But when he opened the door, it wasn’t underwear that he saw.

It was an open box for a pregnancy test.

To stop Alice from getting to him, he closed the door and locked it quickly.

“FP!”

His eyes searched for the actual test as his heart pounded in his chest. This couldn’t be happening. She couldn’t be… not without… she would’ve told him if she even expected. They were too close for her to hide it from him.

Weren’t they?

He found the test by the trash can. Using a piece of toilet paper, he picked it up and read the results. Two lines. Was two lines pregnant or not pregnant?

“FP, open this goddamn door!” she screamed, her voice breaking as she banged on the door.

He ignored her as he picked up the instructions, searching for the section about the results.

“It’s not what it looks like! I promise!”

The instructions confirmed what he thought. The words blurred as his eyes filled with tears. Yeah, he was mad, but more than that, he was… hurt. Why wouldn’t she tell him this? Why would she rather go through the agony of not knowing alone? He would’ve gone with her. Hell, he would’ve bought it for her. He didn’t make a fortune at the drive-in, but he could’ve bought her a pregnancy test. After all, this was his child, too.

Unless…

Alice almost hit him in the chest when he opened the door, but she stopped herself and backed up at the look on his face. Tears caused her mascara to run, and he had never seen her look at him so desperately.

“FP, please,” she begged, her voice shaking as she looked at the test still in his hand. “Let me explain.”

“How could you not tell me?” he asked, surprising himself at how cold his voice sounded.

“I just found out,” she told him. “Obviously.”

“I don’t care!” he said. “This is my responsibility just as much as it is yours!”

A sob escaped her as she closed her eyes, shaking her head slowly. “I didn’t tell you because… I don’t know that it’s your responsibility for sure.”

The confirmation hit him like a punch to the gut. He shouldn’t be surprised that her and Preppy Boy had sex. They had been dating for a few months now. But the bond that FP and Alice had was stronger than whatever fantasy Alice had with the prep, and there was always a small hope in him that she hadn’t gone that far with him.

“Does…” he stopped himself, hearing his voice break. “Does he know?”

“No,” she told him. “I only told my mom, and that’s because she heard me puking three days in a row.”

“Yeah,” he nodded, looking back down at the test as tears fell from his eyes. “Not a lot of room for secrets in a trailer, huh?”

Neither of them said anything for a moment. The VCR clicked, signifying that the tape was rewound and ready to watch.  

“What are you gonna do?” he finally asked her, looking back up at her face. He focused on her lips, her hair, the tears making their way down her face. Anything except looking her in the eyes. “Are you gonna tell him?”

“I feel like I should,” she admitted slowly. “See what he wants to do.”

“Were you gonna tell me?”

She hesitated, searching his face carefully. “I don’t know.”

He couldn’t help himself. He laughed. His anger finally won over the hurt. “So you weren’t gonna tell him that you were fucking someone else on the side? You were just gonna let him believe that he’s the father even if he’s not? You were, what? Just gonna avoid me until the baby was born? Despite the fact that we live in the same neighborhood? Despite the fact that we’re both Serpents?”

“I wasn’t going to tell him something that he didn’t need to know!” she said defensively. “I’m already a pregnant teenager from the South Side! I’m already a fucking stereotype!”

“So you further the stereotype by letting his parents think that you trapped him like some South Side scum?” he accused, taking a few steps towards her.

“I don’t need him thinking I’m a slut!” she yelled.

“Well, if the shoe fits, sweetheart!”

Her face fell, and so did FP’s heart. He had never seen her look so hurt.

“I’m sorry,” he said quickly, calming down. “I – ”

“Get out.”

“Alice –“

“Get. Out.”

FP made his way back to the living room, ejecting the tape and putting back in its case before turning back to her. “No. I’m not leaving. Not until you tell me why you weren’t gonna tell me.”

She let out an angry laugh, shaking her head as fire filled her eyes. “I don’t think you want to know that.”

“Yeah,” he said. “I do.”

“Fine,” she said, her tears drying as she leveled him with a glare he’s never seen directed at him. “I wasn’t going to tell you because I want it to be Hal’s. Because if I’m going to settle down with someone, I want it to be Hal, because he’s going somewhere with his life. And if I’m going to have a child right now, I’m not going to do it with some Southside low-life who’s going to spend the rest of his life working at a drive-in and inheriting his parents’ trailer.”

Slowly, he brought his hand up to forehead and ran it down his face. He wanted to yell at her. To scream at her, but he didn’t even know what he would say. So he decided not to. He conceded defeat. Something that he had never done with her before. “I see. Well, if you wanna be with Preppy so much, I guess you don’t need me in your life.”

He walked past her to the door, pausing in the doorway without looking back at her.

“You know, Alice,” he said, taking a deep breath. “I know you’re a serpent, but you don’t have to be a fucking snake.”

The trailer shook as he slammed the door shut, trying to keep his emotions in check until he could be alone.

‘’’’’’’’’’

“Damn boy, you clean up nice,” Topaz said, leaning against the bar next to FP. “Who are you dressing up for?”

“I went to homecoming at Riverdale High,” FP told him, taking a drink from his beer. One thing he loved about being a Serpent – the bartender didn’t give a fuck if you were legal or not. "Andrews and I had a gig."

“And you didn’t go to the after parties?” Topaz asked. “You’re losing your touch, man.”

He shrugged. “Fred’s great, but tell me something. Would you wanna party with a bunch of preps who can't handle their liquor?”

Topaz laughed, clapping FP on the shoulder. “Atleast it’d be the good shit.”

“I guess you’re right,” he said with a chuckle.

“Did you see little miss Alice while you were there?” Topaz asked. “I feel like I barely see her anymore now that she’s living it up with that Norths Side boy.”

“Didn’t talk to her,” FP said as nonchalantly as possible, focusing too much on the bottle in his hand. “Haven’t talked to her in a couple of weeks. I think she’s decided that she’s too good for us.”

 “Oh… well maybe she forgot tonight.”

FP followed his gaze to the doorway, where Alice stood in her prom dress, her Serpent jacket making her look like some kind of biker princess. She was staring straight at FP, her eyes red and begging him silently.

He sighed, knowing that he was probably going to regret it, but he put his beer down and made his way over to her.

“What do you want, Alice?” he asked when they were outside. He pulled out his pack of cigarettes, offering it to her before realizing his mistake. She raised an eyebrow at him. “Sorry. Force of habit.”

“I told Hal tonight,” she said quietly after a moment. “It didn’t go very well.”

“Really?” he asked, lighting a cigarette and taking a drag. “You know, I think I saw that while I was setting up. You’re right. It didn’t go very well.”

She glared at him, but she didn’t counter. “I said some things to you before that I didn’t mean. I said them out of hurt and anger, and I think that you did, too.”

FP scoffed, laughing at the insanity of it all. “I can’t believe this. Your Preppy Boy dumped you and now you’re gonna come crawling back to me because you don’t have another option?”

“No!” she said, shaking her head. “Hal didn’t dump me! And stop calling him Preppy Boy!”

“Then I’m back to my original question,” he said, looking her square in the eyes. “What do you want?”

“I want to apologize,” she told him. “Or at least I did until you opened your fucking mouth!”

He gestured his arms out, figuratively giving her the stage. “Go ahead.”

Taking a deep breath, she continued on. “I wasn’t fair to you. I was scared, and upset, but it’s no excuse for saying the things that I did and for keeping this from you. I thought that I would be doing what was best for the baby. Instead of struggling, this baby could have more than we did. Better opportunities. A better life. I thought that if I got married to Hal then I could get out of the trailer park and do better.”

“But now?” he asked, taking a longer drag to finish it off.

“Now I know better, and my whole image is falling apart,” she admitted, looking down at her hands. “And in my realization, I also realized that you were the only one I wanted to talk to about it.”

“Does he know…”

“Yeah,” she nodded, tears forming in her eyes. “Not that it’s you specifically, but yeah. It just came out.”

A fierce protectiveness came over FP as he saw her reaction. “How did he react? He didn’t hurt you, did he?”

“No!” she said. “It’s just… the way it came out.”

She took a deep breath to steady herself. “I told him that I was pregnant, and the first thing that he said was that he would pay for me to get rid of it.”

“What?” FP dropped the butt on the ground, disbelief washing over him. “That’s all he could say?”

She nodded again, her face screwing up as the tears started to fall. “I got angry. I told him that I didn’t want to do that and that it wasn’t his decision to make. He started going on and on about how he’s the father and he should get a say in the conversation, and I just… snapped. I told him that there was a good chance he wasn’t, and he freaked. Called me a slut, and a whore. Then we got announced homecoming queen and king and we had to fake like we weren’t just at each other’s throats.”

He could feel the anger rising in him, his hands curling into fists. What kind of man just runs away from responsibility like that? It would be one thing if Alice had been the one to bring it up. But to present it to her as the only option? “I’ll kill him.”

“No. FP,” she said, placing her hands on his arms. “That’s not why I’m telling you this.”

“Then why are you telling me?” he asked, studying her face as she rubbed his arm in a soothing motion.

“Because… you’re the only person I trust enough to,” she admitted.

They looked at each other for a long time, the noise from the bar fading into the background. FP looked at her lips, still pink from the lip gloss she wore to the dance and leaned down to capture those lips in his own.

Responding instantly, Alice wrapped her arms around his neck, taking a hold of his hair as she deepened the kiss, opening her mouth and letting him follow suit. He placed one hand on her jaw, and the other around her waist, savoring the taste of her that he had missed. It had only been a couple of weeks, but fuck, it felt like a lifetime without her.

God damnit, he loved this woman, and he was gonna make sure she got everything she wanted in life. No matter what he had to do to get her there.

Alice was the one to break the kiss, gently. FP started to chase her lips, but stopped himself to look at her.

“You don’t have to do what he says, Alice,” he told her softly. “You can do whatever you think is best, and we’ll figure out the rest.”

She shook her head slowly. “I don’t know what I want to do.”

“It’s okay,” he said. “You have time.”

“But if I decide anything else, Hal will never go along with it and I can’t – “

“Then leave him.”

Shock filled her face at the suggestion. “FP… what?”

“Leave him,” he repeated, pleading with her. “You and me. We’ll figure it out. That baby’s mine as far as I’m concerned, no matter what the DNA says. Whatever you wanna do, we’ll figure it out.”

She backed up, her face uncertain. “I can’t just leave him, FP.”

“Why not?” he asked. “He obviously doesn’t care enough about you to even consider what you want to do. Why give him the same courtesy?”

“He’s just…” she shook her head, wiping at her eyes. “He’s just overwhelmed right now, you know? He’ll calm down.”

“I was overwhelmed, too!” he said, anger rising in him yet again. “I didn’t tell you to get rid of it! I didn’t just throw money at the issue!”

“You’re saying if you had the money to throw at me you wouldn’t say the same thing?” she asked.

He just looked at her, unable to believe what she just said. “Is that what you think of me? You think my first thought when I saw that pregnancy test was to figure out how to get rid of it?”

She shrugged, wrapping her arms around herself. “I don’t know. You looked so mad when you opened the door that I didn’t know what you were thinking!”

“I was mad because you didn’t tell me!” he said. “Because you didn’t confide in me that it was a possibility! We’re closer than that, Alice! We’re Serpents! We’re family!”

“So what?” she asked, her face illuminated as light from headlights reached around the corner of the building. “You were just thinking how we were gonna magically become a perfect family and raise a kid with no trouble at all? That we weren’t just gonna end up back at the trailer park with our kid going to Southside High? Be realistic, FP!”

“I didn’t think any of that!” he told her, taking her hands in his. “I just want to be involved. I want to be there for you. I love you, Alice. I just want us to be together.”

She looked at him with wide eyes, and he realized that was the first time he had told her that. The first time that he had admitted it out loud.

“Alice!”

Both of them turned towards the voice, Preppy Boy himself running towards the couple. FP rolled his eyes, letting go of Alice’s hands as she pulled away.

“Well, look who decided to slum it on the South Side after all,” he said, clapping slowly as Hal stopped in front of them. “Never say never, Preppy Boy. Or should I say, _King_ Preppy Boy.”

Hal shot him a look, but he didn’t respond before turning to Alice. “What the hell are you doing here? You told me you were going home, and I’ve been looking everywhere.”

A laugh escaped FP before he could stop it, causing Alice to shoot him a death glare.

“What’s so funny?” Hal asked, wearily eyeing his Serpent jacket. “And honey, why are you wearing this jacket?”

“Nothing,” FP shrugged. “It’s just if you really knew her, this would be the first place you looked.”

“Enough, FP,” she snapped. She turned back to Hal. “What are you doing here, Hal?”

“I wanted to talk to you,” he told her. “Now that I’ve had some time to think. But seriously, Alice. What’s going on?”

“I just needed to clear my head,” she said with a shrug.

“Here?” he asked in surprise. “With him? Why?”

“Because she needed someone to talk to,” FP told him, his eyes narrowing at the other boy’s tone. “Someone who wouldn’t just throw money at her and tell her to get rid of it.”

Hal turned to him, looking clearly offended. “Excuse me?”

“You heard what I said, Preppy.”

Realization crossed his face, before tightening his jaw and looking back at Alice.

“Him?” he asked. “Seriously? _This_ is him?”

“Hal – “

“No, I understand,” he said. “I mean, I thought it was some other guy at Riverdale, but I get it now. I wouldn’t want to tell me, either.”

“What are you saying?” FP asked. “That I’m something to be ashamed of because I’m some South Side trash?”

“No,” Hal said. “I was thinking more because you’re a Serpent, but I guess Serpent and South Side trash are synonymous.”

“Do you realize that you just insulted your girlfriend?” he said, gesturing to Alice. “Because she’s just as South Side as I am.”

“That’s enough!” Alice said, looking at FP with wide, scandalized eyes. He realized that he had just exposed her. That Hal hadn’t known that she was a Serpent.

“You didn’t tell him?” he asked softly, not bothering hiding his hurt from her. “Are you ashamed of it? Of us?”

“Being a part of a gang isn’t something to be proud of,” Hal pointed out. “And it doesn’t make you a man.”

“No, you’re right. It doesn’t,” FP agreed. “I’m more of a man than you are, but it’s not because I’m a Serpent.”

“FP, stop!”

But he didn’t. “I’m more of a man than you are because I’m actually willing to take responsibility for what I’m a part of, instead of just telling Alice to get rid of it.”

Hal laughed, but it was filled with controlled anger. “That’s right. I’m the bad guy for even suggesting it because I don’t want Alice to give up her dreams and be stuck living in the South Side her whole life.”

“That’s not what’s gonna happen!”

“Isn’t it, though?” he asked. “Why don’t you let me take care of my girlfriend, and you can find somebody else to knock up and continue the cycle your family has of drinking themselves to death?”

Rage filled FP, and he didn’t realize that he had swung until his fist made contact with the Hal’s  chin. He heard Alice scream as Hal hit the ground, cradling his face. Almost immediately, Hal got back up and charged at FP, grabbing him by the collar of his jacket and slamming him against the wall.

“Hal, stop!”

Pain exploded on FP’s cheek as Hal’s fist made contact. He pushed the other man back, ignoring the taste of blood in his mouth.

“Both of you! Stop!”

“What the hell is going on out here?”

Topaz Sr. came around the corner, and FP stood down, straightening his jacket out. He might have thrown the first punch, but he wasn’t about to be a part of any fight that that man would finish.

Wiping the blood of the corner of his lip, he addressed the older man. “Nothing. Just a little disagreement.”

Sr. looked at him for a moment before looking to Alice. “You look awfully pretty tonight, Alice. Everything okay?”

“Thank you, Mr. Topaz,” she said. “Everything’s fine.”

“Yeah,” Hal said. “Alice and I were just leaving.”

“Were you?” FP asked him, looking at Alice. “Both of you?”

Hal nodded. “Yeah. Let’s go, Alice. I’ll take you home.”

She looked between the two teenagers, obviously torn about which way to go as Hal headed back towards his car.

“Leave him, Ali,” FP pleaded. “Just leave him.”

“FP…” she said, shaking her head. “It’s not that easy of a decision.”

“Yes, it is,” he told her, taking one of her hands in both of his. “It is.”

“We can talk tomorrow, FP.” She backed up to follow Hal, and something inside him broke.

“No we can’t!” he said, not letting go of her hand. “You leave with him, and we’re done. You leave him, or you leave me. It’s your choice, Alice, but you gotta make it now. I’m done being a part of your back and forth.”

She looked at where Hal was waiting by his car, then looked back at FP, tears filling her eyes. “I do love him, FP.”

“Not like you love me, and we both know it.” he argued, tears making their way down his cheeks.

“It’s not fair to make me choose like this,” she said, finally breaking his hold on her hand and backing away from him.

“Yeah, well it’s not fair to yank me around like you’ve been doing,” he reminded her.

She stood there for a moment, as fresh tears filled her eyes. He looked at her desperately, begging her silently and praying to whatever god that would listen to him that she would choose him. Choose their bond. But when she shook her head slowly, he knew that she hadn’t.

“I have to do what’s best for me,” she said, her voice breaking. “In the long run, you know?”

And with that, she walked to Hal’s car, never looking back at him even as they pulled out of the parking lot.

FP screamed, punching the wall of the bar before sliding down it as he sobbed. How the fuck could he have done that? How stupid could he be? Of course she would choose Preppy Boy. Money, opportunity, chances. Anyone with half a brain would choose that. Or anyone not too blinded by love for the other option.

All he did was make things worse for himself and cut off any chance he had at a future with Alice and their child. He had meant what he said. He considered that kid his no matter what.

Topaz Sr. didn’t say anything. He just sat down next to FP as he cried. Finally, once he had cried as much as he could, Sr. spoke.

“Do you need anything?” 

FP took a deep breath, wiping his face with his sleeve. “Yeah. I need a fucking drink.”

‘’’’’’’’’’

“Are you okay, Forsythe?”

FP looked up from the counter to see Pop looking at him with concern.

“Yeah,” he said, shaking his head to clear it. “Why?”

“You’ve been cleaning the same spot for five minutes for one thing.”

FP laughed, picking up the rag and holding it in his hands. “Sorry, Pop. Just thinking.”

“That Alice is really something else, isn’t she?” Pop asked. “Everything okay between you two?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “Just… just a lot of old blood you know?”

“Believe me, son, I know a thing or two about old blood.”

Pop went back to the kitchen, and FP looked at the front door where Alice had left. No matter what had happened between them, and how much he had screwed up, a part of him really wished that she would go tonight.

And he really hope that she would take his advice and leave Preppy Boy at home.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is set in 2x08 as well, at FP's retirement party. It includes a 'deleted scene' of where FP and Alice when the weren't in the crowd before Betty got on stage. I want to do more on them, but it'll be in a different work, so this is the last chapter for this one specifically! But I'm hoping that I can get more written soon, especially after last week's episode!

“Man, I can’t believe that you’re retiring,” Tall Boy said, clapping FP on the shoulder. “Never thought I’d see the day.”

“Well it’s either that or go back to jail,” FP told him. “Not much of a choice.”

“Fuck them,” Topaz said, taking a long drink of his beer. “I think the whole thing is ridiculous. Forcing you to leave your blood.”

“Hey,” FP said, shaking his head. “After the things that I’ve done, I’m lucky just to get a second chance. Lucky to be with my boy. I think we’d all do what we have to for our kids. Wouldn’t you do the same for Toni?”

Topaz thought for a moment, then nodded slowly in response. “Yeah, you’re right. I’d do anything for that girl.”

“Still sucks,” Tall Boy cut in. “I don’t remember the last time someone left us.”

“Yeah, because Serpents are loyal to each other,” Topaz told him. “If we leave there’s a damn good reason.”

“The last time was after high school,” FP said, looking down at his folded hands. He would never forget it.  

“Shit, that’s right,” Topaz said. “Alice.”

FP nodded. “Went off to go marry that preppy North Sider and start a perfect family.”

Tall Boy laughed. “I’m pretty sure her daughter getting knocked up wasn’t a part of her plan.”

“Funny how history repeats itself,” Topaz mused. “Like mother, like daughter, am I right?”

FP rubbed his temple, closing his eyes as the men around him laughed. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t get some sick sense of satisfaction when Jason came to him needing money to run away with Polly. Alice had achieved her image of the perfect life and perfect family, throwing out the things that dirtied her image – Like her son born out of wedlock, and him – and then proceeded to have it all crash down around her.  

He may have moved on from Alice Smith, but there was still a part of him that was bitter about how it ended between them, even if he never told any of his fellow Serpents. As far as they were concerned, it had ended before she got pregnant. So, he let himself have that satisfaction when he gave Jason the drugs to deliver, a silent fuck you to the Alice Smith that had left him so long ago.

If he knew then that it would’ve ended in Jason’s death, he wouldn’t have helped them. He would’ve gone to Polly himself and told her to figure out another way. Because she was already handling it better than her mother had, and her and Jason would have figured it out.

“Wonder what history’s gonna repeat itself with the other one,” Tall boy said.

“Hey,” FP snapped, the other man hitting a nerve. “That’s enough. Betty’s off limits.”

“Oh, Betty?” Topaz asked. “What’s so special about her?”

“She’s my boy’s girl,” FP told him, staring him down. “She’s a good kid.”

“Well, there’s the repetition,” Tall Boy said. “Getting involved with a Jones.”

The boys laughed, and he couldn’t help but laugh, too.

“If the worst thing she does is be with Jughead, I’d say she’s pretty lucky,” FP said.

“Let’s just hope she’s not juggling her own Preppy Boy like her mother.”

FP looked up to see Penny Peabody across the table, standing with her arms crossed.

“What do you want, Penny?” he asked, not bothering to give her any hospitality.

“I just wanna chat,” she told him with a shrug. “Got some time?”

“Wait a goddamn minute,” Tall Boy said, standing up and looking towards the bar entrance. “Am I hallucinating, or did Alice Smith just walk into the Whyte Wyrm?”

FP stood up quickly to see better, spotting the pastel colors of Betty’s outfit first. Next to her was Alice, but she didn’t look like Alice Cooper. She looked like Alice Smith, in the black and the leather, and suddenly he felt like he was back in high school.

“Damn, she’s still hot,” Topaz said, sounding impressed. And she was. “Looks like she never even left.”

The jacket, the hair, the rebellious attitude as she took a straight shot of tequila – he knew it was tequila because that was all she drank – it all looked natural. Like she hadn’t been away for twenty years.

She looked like she was still a serpent.

“A snake doesn’t shed their skin so easily,” he muttered, watching her closely.

“As entertaining as it is to watch you all gawk like you’re in high school,” Penny interrupted. “I really do need to talk to you, FP.”

Sighing, he turned to face her. “What about?”

“About your boy,” she told him. “And how he needs to learn to follow rules.”

He looked back at Jughead, happily talking to his girlfriend while her mother took another shot. Dread filled every fiber of his being at the realization of what Jughead must have done for this conversation to take place. How deep Jug had dug a hole for himself.

The one thing that FP had asked him not to do.

Taking a deep breath, he followed Penny, already formulating a solution to save his son from the Snake Charmer’s grip.

‘’’’’’’’’’

FP watched as Penny cringed when she took the shot placed in front of her, and he couldn’t help but laugh.

“Fuck you,” she said, shoving his shoulder. “Like you’re any better.”

In way of a response, he raised his eyebrows at her, accepting the challenge. He took the shot poured for him and knocked it back, swallowing it like it was water. “You were saying?”

“Whatever,” she shrugged, rolling her eyes at his cockiness. “I’m not an alcoholic-in-training.”

He ignored that jab, just like he did all the others. Reacting to it only gave her the satisfaction she wanted, and he wasn’t going to play her games. He was almost done with high school, and he was going to leave those stupid games behind.

“Nah, he’s just not a pussy,” Tall Boy said, always the one to take her bait.

She glared at him for a second before shrugging again. “I bet I can take it better than Alice now. Spending months at a convent didn’t do her any favors in that department, I’m sure. I’m just waiting for her to get down here, so I can test out my theory.”

“Yeah,” Topaz scoffed. “Who knows when that’ll be?”

“Uh, tonight probably,” she said. “I saw at her trailer today, suitcase and all. Bitch is back in town.”

“What?” FP asked, his head whipping up to look at Penny. “She’s back?”

He saw Penny’s eyes light up at his reaction, and he knew that he had fucked up. She was someone who used things against people. Even the smallest of things. She was perceptive and could read people better than anyone he knew. She didn’t say anything, but he knew that it was only a matter of time.

“Yeah,” she nodded, keeping her voice nonchalant. “I stopped by to ask her how she was, and she seemed great. Could barely tell she had a kid, which is a good thing considering all the North Siders think she got mono. Or was it meningitis? I can’t keep up anymore.”

“Hey, atleast she’s back,” Topaz said. “I need a break from your bitchiness.”

“And you think Alice is gonna be any better than me?” Penny asked with a laugh. “That’s rich.”

“Always better than you,” he replied. “Come on, FP. You down for a round of pool?”

“Nah,” FP said, doing his best to stay casual. “I’m okay. I’ll catch you on the next round.”

“All right.”

The boys went off to the tables, leaving Penny and FP alone at the bar.

“I knew you weren’t over her,” Penny said slyly, taking a drink from her beer.

“You don’t know anything, Penny,” he snapped at her.

“I know you still love her,” she countered, lowering her voice and leaning closer to him. “And, being her next-door neighbor, I know that you were over far too often for Preppy Boy to be the only possible baby daddy.”

He felt his jaw tighten, frustration building up inside him. frustration at the fact that she thought it was okay to talk to him about this. At the fact that she thought that it was any of her business.

At the fact that she wasn’t wrong.

“It doesn’t matter,” he said, doing his best to remain calm. “What’s done is done.”

She shrugged. “Just as well. She probably knew you wouldn’t step up anyway.”

“I didn’t –“ he slammed his fist on the bar, looking at her with wild eyes before he stopped himself. “I tried. It wasn’t my decision to make.”

The satisfied smile on her face let him know that she had gotten what she wanted – a rise out of him. Finally. “Every snake has a soft underbelly.”

He heard a clink of heels, and it was something so out of place in the bar that he looked for the source. Alice walked through the bar wearing pumps and a dress that Hal had to have bought her. She looked extremely out of place, the only thing saying she belonged there being the leather jacket draper over her arm. She probably would’ve walked right past him if Penny hadn’t stopped her.

“Alice!” she said, getting up from her stool and grabbing the other girl’s arm. “I knew you would come.”

Giving her a polite smile, she glanced over at FP before responding. “I’m actually not staying. I’m seeing Hal tonight. I just wanted to take care of some business.”

“What kind of business?” FP asked, narrowing his eyes at her. He didn’t like how she was holding her jacket. Like it was something that she wanted to get rid of.

“Turning my jacket in,” she admitted, her tone cold as she addressed him. “I’m leaving. I’ve already talked to Senior about it, and we’re in agreement that it’s for the best.”

Penny’s face turned serious, shock evident in her eyes. “Ali, no, you can’t. You can’t just give up like that.”

“It wasn’t an easy decision,” Alice assured the other girl. “But with everything that’s happened, I just… I need a fresh start.”

She stole a glance at FP again, and his heart felt like it was being ripped out of his chest. She didn’t just need a fresh start from the Serpents. No, she needed a fresh start from _him_.

“But don’t worry,” she continued, looking back at Penny. “I’ll still be around the South Side. I still live here after all.”

She left them at the bar, heading to the back office where she would turn in her jacket and be done. Done with the Serpents. Done with the South Side. Done with him.

“I need some air.”

He leaned against the wall of the bar, not too far from the entrance for a long time. He smoked to keep his hands busy, not knowing what else to do.

He shouldn’t be as upset as he was about her leaving the Serpents. He shouldn’t care about her at all. The whole time that she was gone he kept telling himself that she was just a selfish, lying, manipulative bitch who didn’t care about anyone or anything except herself. But when he saw her, in that dress and those heels, he saw everything that she was, and everything that she could be. As much as he hated to admit it after the way that she hurt him, he still knew that she was better than the South Side. That she could get out and make something of herself.

He just never considered that she might be okay with leaving him behind.

He heard the heels before he saw her, watching as she left the bar. But rather than head home, she walked out of view of the door – closer to him – bringing her hands to her forehead. Her shoulders rose and fell quickly, her chest heaving as she tried to control her emotions. Something went wrong in whatever meeting she had.

“Regretting your decision already?” he asked, kicking off the wall and taking a few steps towards her.

She dropped her hands, anger forming in her eyes as she looked at him. Quickly, she marched over to him, pointing an accusing finger. “What the hell did you say?”

“What do you mean?” he asked, confused. She shoved him hard, so hard that he fell back into the wall. “What the fuck, Alice!”

“Who did you tell?” she said, her face inches from him, seething. “Who the hell did you tell?”

“If you’re talking about why you really went away, all the Serpents know that, but it didn’t come from me,” he told her. “But we kept your little secret from the North Siders, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“Not that!” she exclaimed, hitting his chest. “Who did you tell about us?”

He couldn’t help the exasperated smile that found its way on his face while he looked away from her. “That’s what you’re worried about? That people will find out that we fucked on a regular basis?”

“Who. Did. You. Tell?” she repeated, the look in her eyes becoming dangerous.

“No one,” he admitted. “I haven’t told anyone.”

“Well you must have told someone,” she said, her voice getting higher. “Because Penny just confronted me about it!”

“Yeah?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at her. “Well, maybe it’s the fact that she lives next door to you and saw me going over there all the time!”

She scoffed, backing away from him as she put a hand on her hip. “I swear to God that girl is the fucking worst.”

“What did she say?”

“She told me that if I didn’t do one last drop-off with her that she would tell everyone. Not only that I was pregnant, but that I don’t know if it’s yours or Hal’s.”

“What?” He felt his hands form into fists, the rage that he felt at Penny earlier rushing back. “She’s dead.”

Alice stopped him as he tried to push past her, backing up as he continued walking. “FP, don’t make things worse.”

Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and stood down. The more time he spent with Penny, the more it made sense that she wanted to be a lawyer. She was already corrupt, now all she needed was the knowledge, and she’d probably be the best damn lawyer there ever was.

“I’m sorry, Alice,” he said, his voice sincere. “I didn’t tell anyone. You made your decision, and I respected that.”

She searched his face, probably for any sign of a lie. She wouldn’t find any.

“Thank you,” she finally said. “I’m sorry that I accused you of that. I know better.”

He nodded, backing up from her. “I’ll get you out of the drop somehow.”

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “I’ll go. One last hurrah, right?”

“Why are you even leaving, Ali?” he asked. “You have it good. Steady income, loyal people. A family.”

“I don’t need that anymore,” she admitted. “I have a lot of scholarship opportunities coming my way, a guaranteed job at the Riverdale Register when I get out of college. I have a family with Hal and his folks now. They’ve welcomed me with open arms, even after everything.”

“Right,” he said, looking down at his shoes as he kicked the dirt. “Preppy Boy.”

“Can you stop calling him that?” she asked, crossing her arms. He looked at her as she rolled her eyes.

“Look, Alice, I get it,” he told her.

She shook her head vigorously as he talked. “No, you don’t.”

“Yeah, I do,” he insisted. “You want out of here. You always have. You want some perfect relationship that you’ve never seen around here. Some perfect family that you’ve never had. Some perfect life that you never thought you could achieve. Believe me, I get it.”

“Where are you going with this?”  

“What I don’t get,” he continued, leaning back towards her. “Is how willing you are to throw away anything that gets in the way of that picture-perfect image, no matter how good it can be. The loyalty of the Serpents, of your friends. What you had going with me, and what you could have had. Even your own baby. Our baby.”

He didn’t except the slap, hearing it before he felt it as his head snapped to the side. He rubbed his cheek, knowing that it would probably leave a mark.

“Don’t you _dare_ say that I threw away my baby,” she growled, her voice suddenly thick with emotion. “I did what I had to do to give him the best possible life he could have.”

“Him?” he asked, his voice softening as he looked back at her. He couldn’t help the emotion that filled him at the revelation. He had tried not to think about the baby. About whether or not it was a boy or a girl, or if it would end up having his eyes or Hal’s. He failed, but he had tried. “A boy?”

She hesitated, searching his face again, like she was surprised that he cared. “Yeah, a boy. The sisters set up a family to adopt him a few days after I had him. They said that the family would probably change his name, but I called him Charles while I had him. After my grandfather.”

FP took a deep breath, trying to control his emotions. He had never stopped considering that baby his, no matter how much he had tried. He had a son. A son that was out there somewhere, with a family that loved him, even if it wasn’t him.

A son that he had never even gotten to meet.

They stood there for a moment, neither of them sure what to say. FP was about to suggest that she should go when she spoke again.

“Hal didn’t care.”

“What?”

“Hal didn’t care,” she repeated, looking at her wringing hands. “He knows that it’s a boy, but he didn’t want to know the name, or whether I had a picture. He just wants to move on.”

“I don’t know how,” FP said.

“Well, I think he’s convinced himself that he’s yours,” she said with a small laugh. “I think it makes it easier for him to deal with.”

“Is he?” he asked. “Mine?”

She looked at him, hesitating again. “I don’t know. He has blue eyes, but most babies have blue eyes when they’re born. I kept thinking that maybe he had your nose, but I couldn’t be for sure. Babies just look so similar, you know?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. He wanted to know everything. Every little detail. But in the long run it would only hurt them both, so he changed the subject. “Look, I’m serious, you don’t have to go on the drop. I’ll figure it out.”

“No,” she said. “Penny won’t be satisfied unless she gets what she wants, and then everything would come out.”

“Is that really so bad?”

“FP…”

“I know,” he said. “You chose him.”

“You made me choose,” she reminded him.

“You never would have chosen me,” he told her. “Hal’s the ticket to your perfect life. I should’ve known you were never gonna give that up.”

“It’s more than that with Hal,” she argued, her tone hardening.

“But it is the deciding factor,” he said, letting himself be angry again. He could deal with his other emotions later. “You may have not wanted to give our… your son up, but there was no way in hell you were gonna give up what Hal can offer you. You did what you had to do to keep that.”

“What, you think I’m some kind of gold digger?” she asked, offended.

He leaned in a little, making sure he had her eye contact. “If the shoe fits, Sweetheart.”

Her jaw tensed, anger flashing in her eyes. He excepted her to slap him again, but she didn’t. “Fuck you, FP.”

She turned around, marching away from him as fast as she could in the heels she wore.

“There’s nothing wrong with that,” he yelled out to her. “As long as you’re honest about it.”

But she didn’t look back. She just continued walking, off the parking lot and down the street, back to her home.

Part of him was glad that she was leaving the Serpents. Because atleast now he wouldn’t have to deal with her anymore. She could move on with her life, and achieve her perfect family, and she wouldn’t be around to shove it in his face.

All he had to do was make sure he wasn’t involved in her last drop, and he would be free of her.

‘’’’’’’’’’

Twenty years later, FP found himself standing in the same spot outside of the bar, leaning against the wall as he smoked a cigarette. If he was being honest, he would’ve killed for the drama that he had in high school, even if it seemed like the end of the world.

But now, instead of fighting with Alice about who she wanted to be with, he was trying to save his son from a deal with the devil.

He couldn’t help the way that his heart broke when Penny explained everything to him. Although he was proud of Jughead for standing his ground, he knew that if he wanted him to be safe, that someone would have to deal with her terms. Someone would have to pay the debt.

“FP Jones, why aren’t you having fun at your own party?”

Alice sauntered over to him, a smirk on her red lips.

“I’m not in the mood, Alice.”

“What crawled up your butt and died?” she asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest and waiting expectantly for an answer.

He looked her over, admiring how she looked in the black clothing, the mesh top. It looked a lot more natural to him than the fancy clothes she usually wore anymore.

“You look nice, Alice,” he said in lieu of a real answer. “Didn’t think you’d show up.”

She shrugged. “Decided to chaperone. You’re obviously not doing a very good job of it.”

“And yet you’re out here with me,” he pointed out, raising an eyebrow at her.

“They started doing karaoke,” she said. “Can’t get into much trouble doing that.”

“You’d be surprised,” he said, but let it go. “I’m glad you didn’t bring Preppy Boy with you. He wouldn’t be having any fun.”

Alice scoffed, but she couldn’t hide the smile playing at her lips. “You’re seriously still calling him that?”

He gave her a sly grin. “It still fits, doesn’t it?”

“Normally I’d defend him, but I’m mad at him right now,” she admitted.

“Is marriage to Hal really not the perfect marriage that you thought it would be?” he asked, feigning surprise. “Big shocker there.”

She laughed, shaking her head. “Nothing about my life is perfect, and you very well know that. My oldest is pregnant with twins and refuses to talk to me, my youngest is some Nancy Drew who’s always getting herself in trouble, and my husband is insufferable because he’s trying to keep the perfect image from falling apart around him.”

“Your oldest daughter,” he reminded her.

“What?” she asked, looking at him in confusion.

“Polly’s your oldest daughter,” he said. “Not your oldest kid.”

She looked at him carefully for a moment before snapping out of it. “You knew what I meant.”

“Yeah,” he nodded. He had, but he couldn’t help himself. He wanted to see how she would react. “I’m sorry about homecoming, by the way. It wasn’t my place to say anything.”

“I’m sorry, too,” she said. “But it’s okay. I ended up telling Betty.”

“Really?” he asked, his surprise real now.

“Not _everything_ ,” she assured him. “Not about you. As hesitant as I am about her dating a Jones, I didn’t want to do that to her.”

“I still don’t understand the issue you have with my son,” he told her.

“Because I know how dangerous the Jones men are,” she said simply.

“Dangerous?” He couldn’t help the laugh that came out of him. “Jughead is anything but dangerous.”

“That may be,” she agreed. “But he’s still got enough of you in him for me to worry, and now that he’s joined the Serpents, he’s getting there.”

He couldn’t help but concede to her there. Jughead may have good intentions, but he was sliding into dangerous territory far too quickly. Quicker than him even. But he wasn’t going to tell Alice any of that and give her more ammunition for taking away the people that might keep his son above water.

“Of course, now that you’re getting out, maybe he’ll follow you,” she continued. “Then they won’t have to deal with any of the stuff that we dealt with.”

“Yeah,” he said. “That was the plan.”

He couldn’t look at her, not after his conversation with Penny. He was already going to have to tell his son that he wasn’t leaving the Serpents, that he was getting in further.

“Was?” she asked. “What do you mean, ‘was?’”

He sighed, annoyed that she could still pick up on things like that. It’s what made her such a good journalist, after all. “I’m not leaving the Serpents.”

“The hell you’re not,” she said. “Isn’t it part of the deal?”

“I don’t care,” he told her, and he didn’t. He’d do whatever he had to do to keep Jughead safe. “I’m not leaving.”

“I can’t believe you, FP,” she scoffed, taking a step back from him. “Just when I think you finally have your head out of your ass, you just bury it further.”

“Why do you care anyway?” he asked her, confusion overtaking him.

“I don’t,” she snapped, way too quickly. He raised his eyebrow at her, waiting for her to continue. “I care about my daughter. And whatever you do affects her because it affects Jughead.”

He wanted to tell her that he was doing this for Jughead. That he was protecting his son in the only way that he could. To explain to her that Penny had only made things darker for the Serpents, more twisted. Penny may have blackmailed Alice into her last drop, the one where she got arrested and made the front page, but she had gotten so much worse now that people actually owed her things.

“They’ll be fine,” he said. “This way I can make sure Jughead stays away from the more dangerous stuff.”

“Oh,” she scoffed. “Don’t act like this is some righteous move to help your son. You’re just too damn loyal to these people for your own good. What, were you lying about the drinking, too? Are you gonna keep your job at Pop’s?” She rolled her eyes. “I should’ve known you were never going to change, FP. Like you said, a snake doesn’t shed their skin so easily.”

“I’ve said it before, Alice,” he said, looking her in the eye as she spoke. “I don’t care what you think of me. You can think of me as some low-life Serpent, some criminal, whatever, I don’t care.”

“If the shoe fits, sweetheart,” she told him, raising an eyebrow with fire in her eyes. Her tone dripped with a venomous sweetness, and he knew it wasn’t just a phrase. She was throwing his words from so long ago back at him. If they were still in high school, he would’ve gotten mad, told her how ridiculous she could be, and they would yell at each other until they couldn’t anymore. But it would end with them fucking, and him apologizing.

Except that it wasn’t high school anymore, even if a fire lit inside him that he thought had been out for a long time. And as much as he wanted to grab her and take her right there against that wall, they were older now. They had responsibilities. Larger consequences for their stupid decisions.

“You always could hold a grudge, Alice,” he said, with a sly grin. “As much as I yelled at you about it, I always liked that about you.”

Her gaze changed, the fire in her eyes morphing, and he knew that she was thinking of the same things he was. Instead of doing anything about it, he walked around her, walking slowly backwards towards the entrance as they kept eye contact.

“You know what you asked me the other day?” he asked. “About men who just get out of prison?”

She shifted a little, clearing her throat but not giving him a response. His eyes left hers, travelling her body, appreciating it – devouring it – before looking into her eyes again.

“It’s definitely true.”

And with that, he turned around, making his way back to the bar, not even bothering to see her reaction. He headed for the back where Penny was waiting for him, his old jacket in hand. Ignoring the smirk on her face, he took it from her and put it on. The boos caught his attention, and he looked up at the stage to see Betty get on and start singing. _Mad World_? Really? That’s the song they chose for karaoke?

His annoyance turned to horror as she started undressing, starting the dance to initiate her into the Serpents.

_“I won’t have our kids make the same mistakes we did_.”

He spotted Alice at the front of the crowd, shocked into stillness as Betty dance around the pole. He couldn’t even imagine what was going through her head right then, where her mind was going. He knew that he was mad when Jughead joined the Serpents, but Alice? She saw the Serpents as nothing more than a mistake, and now her daughter was making the exact same one that she had.

“Talk about history repeating itself,” he heard Tall Boy say.

The silence after Betty was done was long and awkward, and the poor girl looked confused and maybe even a little hurt, and FP knew that it was time to slip back into his skin. He clapped, making his way up to the stage. He thanked her – even though that was the last thing he wanted to do – and slipped his jacket over her, stealing a glance at Alice to make sure she wasn’t going to murder him for the fact that it had a Serpent on it.

Then he started his speech. He talked about the good times, the bad times, the people that had left him – sending Alice a special look as he did so, just for the hell of it. By the end of it, everyone was cheering, and he honestly believed it himself. The Serpents had been his family. His blood. So many people had left him over time, but not the Serpents. He felt more like he was trying to convince himself than his friends, and it was kind of working.

He noticed Alice leaving about halfway through his speech, but he didn’t stop. He knew what she thought of him. Just some South Side trash. But he didn’t care what she thought of him, not any more. He had meant that. No, the person he was worried about was the one straight across from him. The one that looked confused, betrayed, and absolutely gutted.

His son.

He couldn’t help the anger that rose in him as much as he hated seeing Jughead like that. He was doing this for Jughead, to protect him. To make sure that he didn’t go down that same road. FP was already damaged. Already too far down that road to really ever be able to get off. But Jughead… Jughead was still good. Still had a chance. All FP was doing was letting him keep that chance.

So, he was honest with his son. He didn’t have to worry anymore. The debt was FP’s now. He might have been harsh about, but he was honest. And he took his pain out on him before kissing him on the forehead.

“You broke my heart, Jughead.”

He took the shot, knowing that Jughead was hurt. But he couldn’t help it. He had to convince them – convince himself – that he was back, even if just for the night. He would go to a meeting tomorrow. He just had to keep reminding himself that he was doing this for Jug, and he would be fine.

If there was one thing he agreed with Alice on, it was that he wasn’t going to let his son make the same mistakes he did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the sweet comments! I hope that this chapter didn't disappoint!

**Author's Note:**

> I'm thinking of writing another flashback chapter based on Alice going to The Whyte Wyrm for FP's party, so let me know if you'd be interested or not!


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